28 June 2016

Would a Birthday at Another Age Be as Sweet?





In a nation of laws, age matters.  Ask voters and drinkers 
and drivers and candidates for public office just how much
age matters.  Set arbitrarily, each limit gained its own
permanence, importance and demands.  I obeyed.  But since I
found a way to retire, I don't mind.   Here’s the time that wasn’t lost
in hassles and hustles and rushing through meetings.  Time again
to turn rocks over and see what they hold precious—or to stop,
sit atop the stockpile it took years to acquire and now look
at each piece to see if it's worth its weight in gold or beauty
and shadows of smiles or peals of bells and laughter. 

Here the rush to milestones of eligibility no longer makes sense—
Finally.  And it feels like docking a huge ship, a slow and
clumsy barge, surviving stormy seas, arriving home after
long exile.  Forgive me, those of you who know exile firsthand—
Only now have I time to look back and see who I ignored
on my way through the maze that held me.  I can’t say I enjoy
the hindsight, but if age ripened me for a new journey,  I'll
welcome it along with new partners who join in the next ride.
Why mind aging when we feel new passion to be alive?
When we see, finally, what waswhat isworth its weight in gold?




For my prompt at Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Birthday(s)


My blog poems are rough drafts.  
Please respect my experiment and my copyright.

© 2016 Susan L. Chast



29 comments:

  1. "But since I / found a way to retire, I don't mind."...i can breathe the freedom and a fresh lease of life here...it's wonderful when the chain bound exile is cast away and one reaches home and a new light shines on...a perfect poem for the Day :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sumana. You always read me right!

      Delete
  2. My inspecteur Clouseau mind is twigging that it is your birthday today. Many Happy Returns on reaching a milestone:) I love the image of a clumsy battered barge surviving the storms arriving home.(chuckles)
    That home being wisdom and an understanding as you eloquently state... of the things that really matter ... How you no longer are concerned with superficial and artificial societal expectations and have a renewed vigour for life seen with new eyes. Could relate very well to this excellent poem.

    Birthday Poem For Susan

    she's reached an important milestone
    our Dr Susan Chast
    the brainy birthday girl
    giving words panache and dash

    she writes reflective poetry
    shows concern about the planet
    her keen sense of justice
    quick silvers through her work
    her mid week motif
    brightens weeks that can be bleak
    for so many of us
    so thank you my dear Susan
    for your time and your interesting prompts

    we're chalk and cheese
    on many things
    live culturally poles apart
    but when it comes to good strong veins
    we're both pumping at
    the heart
    the heart
    the heart
    the heart

    Enjoy your special day !
    Kind regards
    Rall

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will treasure this poem, dear Rall. Thank you so much! And thank you, too, for writing and appreciating Poems of Purpose and Passion.

      Delete
  3. Happy Birthday Susan...and may you enjoy your "new passion to be alive" with all that is worth its weight in gold!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The right time is now - such a relief when we can discover that - and most of all learn to enjoy it - a very peaceful birthday to you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're part of the team, JR. Thank you.

      Delete
  5. This is really an excellent poem, Susan. Enjoyed your reflections on the age of milestones & in retrospect how much does it matter, the joy of retirement and the time to turn those rocks that one missed along the way, and to really reflect on what life IS as one sits on one's stockpile & reflect. Your second stanza is really inspired...brilliant really. The idea of docking a huge ship, reflecting back, but feeling a new passion to be alive...knowing that there is a new journey on the horizon. A poem very dense with meaning that can be found in every line. My comment has not done it justice. Happy happy birthday, Susan!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, Mary, I think you liked it! Than you for reading deeply, for navigating your barge and leading us here.

      Delete
  6. What fun birthdays were as children, or coming of age but how we dread them now as the bells toll for others our age. Once we had so much time but now we have so little to do what we want. If Rall is correct many birthday wishes from me too Susan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She is, and thank you. I think the balance of the dread is how much we enjoy living. If your poems are the trace evidence, you've been turning over the rocks and feeling free.

      Delete
  7. Happy birthday! Yes, it is time to look back, but also important to look forward too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such a wonderful coming of age poem Susan! I think you said it all too! Life isn't over and there's still rocks to look under. I wish you all the happiness that retirement can offer and may all your good memories be worth their weight in gold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Bekkie, I love that "coming of age" idea.

      Delete
  9. What a great birthday poem from Rall! How wonderful! Happy Birthday, dear friend. I most love the image of docking a large ship, as we sail into the port of our retirement years. The gift of time, the slowing down with its opportunity to rest, reflect and truly see.........I love the truth in "why mind aging when we feel new passion to be alive?" A wonderful poem!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sherry. I could have written this for you. SO glad our barges are close to each other.

      Delete
  10. It's the passion that makes all the difference!

    ReplyDelete
  11. To arrive at a place of birthday worth its weight in gold. That's a splendid thing indeed and such a good place to be.

    Have a happy day

    Thanks for a nice prompt and for dropping by my blog today

    Much love...

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is absolutely a favorite of mine. Wow, Susan.

    ReplyDelete
  13. "if age ripened me for a new journey, I'll
    welcome it along with new partners who join in the next ride". Spot on! I see it as a part of life. And if that happens, I'm going to take full advantage of it. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Those new babies are part of it, aren't they? Thank you for being here.

      Delete
  14. timeless hourglass
    beauty held between two hands
    sand still tumbles

    Somehow the hourglass seemed the classic for a classy lady. Hope it was a grand day

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love this – both the sentiments and the suitably leisurely, conversational tone.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So many worry about retirement and what they'll do with all that time. Then are surprised at everything they can do with all that time, not pressured or ruled. I like the casual tone you take here, and like the varied imagery,

    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh, wonderful poem, Susan! 'Time again
    to turn rocks over' ~ I wish you to have those new inspirational moments as often as new moon coming to us... to start a new project with love and now not so innocent mind... Happy belated birthday too!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog!